Pura Cup report

Donny · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:54 am

NSW hit for six

Fox Sports

JUST days after his Test career ended with the touring Indian side well on top, Steve Waugh has seen his beloved NSW Blues suffer an inglorious defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Victoria.

Waugh's final days as a first-class cricketer are proving to be some of his most challenging with the Bushrangers yesterday pulling off the second largest final innings run chase in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history.

The Blues looked destined for a much-needed outright victory on the final day of the match at Newcastle's No.1 Sports Ground, holding a 455-run lead after their second innings.

But resuming at 0-3, Victoria reached their target with an amazing three wickets and 14 overs to spare - thanks largely to a spectacular 212 from 218 balls from little-known David Hussey, who bats at Waugh's favoured No.5 spot.

The Vics made 7-455 and afterwards Waugh heaped praise on Hussey - suggesting he looked an Australian player in the making.

The only greater fourth-innings run chase was South Australia's 6-506 to beat Queensland at Adelaide Oval in 1991-92.

The stunning victory pushed Victoria, captained by outstanding young leg-spinning allrounder Cameron White, further ahead at the top of the Pura Cup ladder.

The Vics are now on 26 points, with NSW well off the pace on 11 as they strive to defend their crown.

Waugh had a low-key game, scoring just 7 and 31. The great captain looked keen to stay out of the limelight after the crescendo of adulation that followed him out of the Test arena.

Promising Blues allrounder Dominic Thornely, coming off his maiden first-class century on Sunday, had White (40) and Andrew McDonald (0) both caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in the space of four balls late in the day to leave the Vics on a precarious 6-383.

But Hussey, the man who had run out Waugh on Sunday, frustrated the pro-NSW crowd in Newcastle again yesterday with his first double ton in first-class cricket.

The Pura Cup leaders were in trouble early.

Opener Jason Arnberger was the first man to go, bowled by Don Nash for four inside the first half an hour.

His opening partner, Matthew Elliott, was trapped lbw by paceman Matthew Nicholson for 19 in a major breakthrough to leave the Vics 2-37.

Brad Hodge was ruled lbw from a full toss by leg spinner Stuart MacGill to end a 36-ball innings of 33 but Jon Moss (76) and Hussey steadied the ship when outright defeat was looking likely.

Moss, on 61, was dropped by Thornely in the last over before lunch off Nicholson.

He moved to 76 before being caught by Thornely off the bowling of MacGill, who toiled through 36 overs.

Moss and Hussey put on a 176-run partnership before White came to the crease and maintained his side's steady run rate.

But just when the Vics were being favoured to get home, Thornely broke through.

The Vics needed 37 runs from the last 21 overs with four wickets left.

Peter Roach was trapped lbw by Nicholson for 18, making the score 7-422, but Hussey launched a succession of boundaries off MacGill to give the Vics the six points.

* TASMANIA dismissed South Australia for their lowest ever total against the Tigers before driving home the advantage with the bat on a dream second day at the Adelaide Oval yesterday.

At stumps, Tasmania were 3-175 in their second innings, holding an overall lead of 270 after leading by 95 on the first innings.

Michael Dighton was out on the last ball of the day, lbw to part-time medium pacer Mark Cosgrove for 45, the highest score of the match so far, with Shane Watson unbeaten on 43.

The pair put on a 90-run stand to end the day, the highest of the match so far.

The comfortable manner in which they added the runs showed SA could not blame the pitch for their paltry first innings total of 112.

* CLINTON Perren and Martin Love were leading Queensland's rapid response against a limp Western Australian attack in Perth.

Chasing WA's 9(dec)-427, the Bulls charged to tea at 1-175 on the second day with Perren (66no) and Love (44no) at the crease.

Donny · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:52 pm

Team - Played - Points - Quotient

Victoria - 6 26 1.45

Tasmania - 6* 16 0.97

Queensland - 6* 14 1.13

Sth. Australia - 6* 12 0.85

New Sth. Wales - 6 11 1.00

Western Aust. - 6* 2 0.73

* = still playing
--------------------------------------

Tasmania is in good shape to go to 22 points but if the Redbacks can fight back to win, they'll go to second place with 18.

The Warriors are in a good position to get full points against the Bulls but they'd still retain last place after all states have completed 6 games.

Donny · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 1:25 pm

3 batsmen have been outstanding.

Simon Katich - 772 @ 110.28

David Hussey - 757 @ 108.14

Murray Goodwin - 755 @ 83.88 (1 innings to play in current match)

Sultan of spin · Joined: 31 Aug 2003 Location: Burnley

Looks like Hussey is the in form batsman that is not part of the test side with Goodwin still not eligable to represent oz

Donny · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:43 pm

Team - Played - Points - Quotient

Victoria - 6 26 1.45

Tasmania - 6 22 1.00

Queensland - 6 16 1.12

Sth. Australia - 6 12 0.85

New Sth. Wales - 6 11 1.00

Western Aust. - 6 2 0.76

Donny · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:47 pm

Name Mat I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St Team

MW Goodwin 6 12 2 778 201* 77.80 65.65 3 3 1 - WA
SM Katich 5 10 3 772 182* 110.28 68.68 3 4 6 - NSW
DJ Hussey 6 9 2 757 212* 108.14 75.85 4 2 6 - VIC
MTG Elliott 6 11 0 575 182 52.27 48.52 2 2 6 - VIC
ML Love 5 9 1 547 300* 68.37 59.78 1 2 6 - QLD
J Moss 6 9 1 538 172* 67.25 55.29 1 4 4 - VIC
SR Watson 6 11 0 533 157 48.45 43.54 2 1 5 - TAS
GS Blewett 6 12 1 518 171 47.09 50.48 1 3 2 - SOA
DJ Marsh 6 11 3 509 111* 63.62 75.63 2 2 7 - TAS
CJL Rogers 4 8 0 468 120 58.50 67.43 2 2 3 - WA
MJ Di Venuto 5 8 1 420 174* 60.00 56.07 1 2 6 - TAS
MJ North 6 12 0 414 90 34.50 44.23 - 3 5 - WA
SG Law 6 10 1 408 81 45.33 62.29 - 4 4 - QLD
MEK Hussey 5 10 0 407 138 40.70 48.85 1 3 5 - WA

Donny · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:52 pm

Most wickets (10 minimum)

Name Mat O M R W Ave Best 5 10 SR Econ Team

DG Wright 5 209.5 59 553 28 19.75 5-43 1 - 44.9 2.63 TAS
AB McDonald 6 165 38 537 23 23.34 6-67 1 - 43.0 3.25 VIC
MJ Nicholson 5 197.3 36 650 23 28.26 6-76 1 - 51.5 3.29 NSW
AG Downton 6 218.1 49 782 23 34.00 5-71 1 - 56.9 3.58 TAS
PC Rofe 5 172.4 49 526 21 25.04 5-89 1 - 49.3 3.04 SOA
MF Cleary 5 152 26 523 20 26.15 5-102 1 - 45.6 3.44 SOA
ML Lewis 5 188.1 44 545 20 27.25 5-58 1 - 56.4 2.89 VIC
GJ Denton 4 120.3 21 446 19 23.47 4-60 - - 38.0 3.70 TAS
SCG MacGill 3 160.5 27 626 18 34.77 5-79 2 - 53.6 3.89 NSW
JH Dawes 5 183.2 49 527 18 29.27 4-89 - - 61.1 2.87 QLD
MS Kasprowicz 3 128.1 36 380 17 22.35 5-84 1 - 45.2 2.96 QLD
AB Wise 5 149 46 435 17 25.58 5-59 1 - 52.5 2.91 VIC
B Casson 4 150 16 580 17 34.11 5-109 1 - 52.9 3.86 WA
SR Clark 5 171.4 36 503 15 33.53 4-52 - - 68.6 2.93 NSW
SJ Jurgensen 3 122.2 35 301 13 23.15 4-52 - - 56.4 2.46 QLD
PC Worthington 4 93.4 20 339 12 28.25 6-59 1 - 46.8 3.61 WA
SW Tait 4 115 19 423 12 35.25 4-61 - - 57.5 3.67 SOA
JN Gillespie 2 86 21 192 11 17.45 5-54 1 - 46.9 2.23 SOA
CL White 5 143 17 556 11 50.54 4-27 - - 78.0 3.88 VIC
XJ Doherty 4 146.3 26 504 11 45.81 4-142 - - 79.9 3.44 TAS
AJ Bichel 1 32 4 113 10 11.30 6-61 1 1 19.2 3.53 QLD
B Lee 2 95 14 343 10 34.30 5-124 1 - 57.0 3.61 NSW
JR Hopes 5 152 49 404 10 40.40 4-63 - - 91.2 2.65 QLD

Ev5Magpies · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:52 pm

Interesting to note that Hodge isn't in that group & that Moss is! Only because people are talking up Hodgey to play for the Aussies...

The Prototype · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:57 pm

Damien Wright having a good season, hopefully soon he can get a place in the Aussie test side, or atleast named in their squad.

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:49 pm

After Tas. v. Q'land and WA v. NSW

Team - Played - Points

Victoria - 6 - 26

Tasmania - 7 - 24

Queensland - 7 - 16

Sth. Australia - 6 - 12

New Sth. Wales - 7 - 11

Western Aust. - 7 - 8